Electric baseboard heat in 3 car

[garagelvr]

Hi, I need some info on what would be the best route. I have a well insulated 25x16x9 (rough estimate). I would like to heat with baseboard electric. I just want it to keep it above freezing during winter.
There is a window on each side.
Do I put a 6' or 8' on the back wall centered or 1 2' under each window?
I would like a thermostat on it/them
If I do go with 2 heaters can I run both on a single thermostat or do I have to use 2?
Thanks

 

[NUTTSGT]

I have friend that heats his 2 car garage shop with one of these. It stays around 55 all winter and doesn't freeze.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/heatin...ose-oil-filled-deluxe-radiator-heater-2170657

Just remember with the baseboard heaters, they're somewhat permanent. You don't want to store anything in front of it, like a work bench or tool box, it'll kinda take up "wall space"

 

[tatra]

welcome btw...........

 

[nehog]

My shop/garage... (Note the size in my signature) uses one 1500 watt 'oil filled' heater. Set on medium heat (IIRC 900 watts) most of the winter. Keeps the shop above freezing (at the end where the heater is, and I don't really care that much about the other end.)

Would I use baseboard heating? No, too restrictive on moving stuff, blockages etc. I'd always worry that somehow an old oily rag, something plastic, whatever, managed to drop on the heater, which would be *bad*!

 

[kbs2244]

Don't stack anything in front of it.
Get a garage sale ceiling fan, install it in the center of the garage, set it on low, blowing down, 24/7, and forget it.

You are creating pretty expensive and concentrated heat.
You need to spread it around.

 

[djb25]

I tried electric baseboard heat in my two-car attached.

I put in three 220v units and kept the garage at 50 degrees.

The garage is insulated, although the ceiling is only thick foamboard, r-11.

My electric bill went up about $200 a month! My first bill was actually $900, due to estimated usage and the billing cycles.

Needless to say, I promptly removed the electric heat. I replaced it with a very large cast-iron radiator that was left in my basement by a previous owner. I plumbed it into the house hydronic system (but on its own circuit). Amazingly, my gas bill did not noticeably increase with the new garage circuit. This will be the second winter with the new radiator setup.

Prior to the electric baseboard, I heated the garage with a portable "ventless" kerosene heater, I think it was around 1500 btu. It worked well enough, but I did not like the fumes and I wanted to keep the garage above freezing 24/7. Anyway, the problem with the electric baseboard was not the heating capacity or the insulation (although the ceiling does need more, that's on the list).

Obviously this isn't an option for everyone, but if you have the means, I highly recommend it!

 

[Mmfh]

I believe the proper way of thinking on the baseboards is placing them under each of the windows. Yes you can run both off of one thermostat as long as the stat is rated for the amp draw of both together.

As far as a good heat source. Electric baseboards is probably the most expensive way to heat, and not that efficient either. These days there are
much better choices, unless of coarse you don't have gas and a forced air unit doesn't appeal to you because of dust blown around.

Just my 2 cents

Mm

 

[garagelvr]

Thanks for the reply's. I have no gas going to the garage and would not be feasible to pipe there. It was either this or one of those plug in units (or freeze). I live in WV so the rates are pretty low. We'll see how it goes. Thanks for the welcome tatra

 

[Kevin54]

My wife heats her 20'x20' building with the oil filled radiators like Nutts shows. She will use one with the medium settings and it will keep her building at 65* when it is 0* out. If it gets below 0* she will kick it up on high and maybe kick a second one on to low, and it keeps it at 70* when it is maybe -10*f outside. Her building has 8 windows and a 6' French door in it.

 

[stingry]

Since your are limited to electric, I would recommend something like this
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_595_595

I use one in my 16x40x9 and it works quite well. I keep it at 50 degrees 24/7 and with the fan, it warms up relatively fast if I want a higher temp to work in the shop.


Cheers
Steve

 

[jvitez]

I wouldn't use baseboard heat in a garage for the previously stated reasons. Your garage is small, you don't want to waste valuable wall space. Why not try an oil filled plug in heater first? If it doesn't do it, and you have at least two 15 amp circuits in the garage, buy 2, one at each end.

If you want permanent heat, I'd use a hard-wired forced air unit, something like this, or what singry linked to:

http://www.ouellet.com/commercial-heating-specs.aspx?i=17